Foot protector



Dec. 10. 1935. G. M. FULLARTON ET AL 2,023,580

FOO'I PROTECTOR Filed May 16. 1954 7L NL Wm M J. M. BL [SS/1V6 Br #4- 11m Patented Dec. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOOT PROTECTOR Application May 16, 1934,, serial No. 725,884 7 Claims. (01.36-72) This invention relates to foot protectors, and more particularly to a safety toe protector for attachment to shoes.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple and eflicient safety toe protector which may be readily attached to or removed from a shoe and which may be used with a minimum of discomfort will more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a foot protector embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof on a reduced scale,

showing its application to a shoe, and

Fig. 3 is a vertical detail section on the line Referring now to the drawing, the numeral l indicates a rigid one piece metal safety foot'protector or toe cap of hardened drawn steel or other suitable material hollowed out and arched to fit over the forepart or toe portion of a shoe and slightly spaced from the shoe, particularly across its top, as indicated at H (Figs'. 2 and 3); The cap Ill is' completely open across its bottom, the lower edge of the cap being slightly inturned, as indicated at H! (Fig. 3), and shaped to fit snugly in the groove between the sole and the upper of the shoe with its lower edge engaging and rest-,- ing upon the top surface of the sole. Secured by welding, or otherwise, to the outer surface of the cap I!) at its inner open end is a reinforcing strap l3 which also adds to the ornamental appearance of the protector since it gives the toe cap the appearance of the ordinary leather toe cap having an ornamental edging at its rear edge.

Preferably the cap I0 is formed of unhardened steel and after it has been formed to the desired shape the steel is hardened by a suitable heat treatment.

Rigidly attached to the cap 10 at opposite sides adjacent the lower edge thereof and behind the strap l3 by welding, or otherwise, is a pair of resilient backwardly extending cap retaining wire members M which lie snugly in the groove between the sole and the upper of the shoe for the greatest part of their length, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. The free ends of the wire members l4 may have outwardly and downwardly extending portions l5 that extend across the upper surface of the sole from the groove to the edge of the sole 5 and then downwardly across the vertical face of the sole to substantially the lower v edge thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, to prevent chafing of the shoe upper by the ends of the wire members. The cap retaining wire members l4 press inwardly with sufficient tension to securely retain the cap II] in its mounted position on the shoe, but due to their inherent flexibility in all directions about their longitudinal axes they do not interfere with the bending of the foot in stooping or Walking, thus adding to the comfort of the wearer.

When the shoe is bent during either stooping or J walking the rear free ends of the wire-members l4 adjacent the portions l5 retain their position in the grooves between the sole and the shoe upper, the wire members between their points of attachv ment to the cap I0 and the portion l5 merely flexmg.

The safety foot protector described above may be made in a variety of. shapes to conform to different shoe styles and various sizes and widths in each style and may be provided with a finish to simulatethe color of the particular shoe to which it is to be applied.-

In use the herein described safety foot protector so effectively protects the wearer's toes or forepart of his feetfrom injury by crushing in the handling of "heavy articles in case an article falls or drops upon his feet in any manner, the safety cap being sufliciently rigid to sustain a great crushing force and thereby preventing injury to the feet of the wearer. Furthermore, the safety'cap may be used without hindrance to the wearer's movementsand with a minimum of discomfort.

Although there is herein shown and described 40 a specific embodiment of this invention, it should be understood that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 46

l. A detachable foot protector comprising a rigid arched member shaped to fit over the forepart of a shoe and having its lower edge shaped 1 to rest upon the top surface of the shoe sole, and universally resilient retaining members attached 60 at opposite sides of and extending backwardly of said arched member and shaped to fit between the sole and the upper of the shoe, said retaining members having sufficient stiffness to restrain the protector against slipping forwardly.

opposite sides extending backwardly and shaped to fit in the groove between the sole and the .upper of the shoe, said retaining members hav-- ing suflicient stiffness to restrain the protector against slipping forwardly.

3. A detachable foot protector comprising a rigid toe cap having its lower edge intumed and shaped to fit in the groove between the sole and the upper of the shoe and freely rest upon the top surface of the sole, and spring wire members attached at opposite sides of and extending backwardly of said cap and shaped to fit between protector against slipping forwardly.

' 1 4.'A' detachable foot protector comprising a' toe cap of hardened drawn steel having its lower edge inturned and shaped to fit in the'groove between the sole and the upper of the shoe and to freely rest upon the top surface of the sole and having a reinforcing band along its rear edge,- and resilient wire retaining members attached to ,said cap at opposite sides extending bac'kwardly and shaped to flt in the groove between the sole and the upper of the shoe, said retaining members having suflicient stiflness to restrain the protector against slipping forwardly.

5.-A root. protector comprising a readily detachable rigid metal toe cap having its bottom portion inturned to fit in the groove between the sole and the upper of a shoe, the lower edge surface oi. the cap freely resting upon the top surface of the sole, and resilient retaining members attached at opposite sides of and extending backwardly and inwardly of said cap and fitting v in the groove between the sole and the upper of the sole and the upper of the shoe, said wire mem-' bers having suflicient stiflness to restrain the" the shoe, said members terminating at and en- '7. A foot protector comprising a readily de- 20 the groove between the sole and the upper of the shoe, said members at their rear ends formed-with outwardly extending portions terminating in vertical portions engaging the vertical edge of the 30 sole under tension. I

' GREGG M. FUILARTON.

JOHN M. BLESSING. 

